


listen, i just really like nutella

by KindaAnxious



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-15 01:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11795586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KindaAnxious/pseuds/KindaAnxious
Summary: 'you have a black and white tattoo of the thing your soulmate is most passionate about at the time you figure out you're soulmates and when you kiss for the first time it becomes colourful' soulmate au





	listen, i just really like nutella

Racetrack Higgins is not a punk ass bitch, no matter what the boys' bathroom says (He's gonna get Jack back for that eventually). Which is why he doesn't get how he got someone with such a lame interest.

'The Brooklyn Bridge.' Race says mournfully, his sleeve lifted up to show his soulmate tattoo. It appeared a week ago, and Race hasn't shut up about it. Jack rolls his eyes, pulling his sleeve back down to cover it.

'At least you didn't get a book with Latin on it.' Jack smirks, lightly shoving Davey's arm, who glares at him.

'I got a fucking moon wearing a cowboy hat, you don't get to complain.' Davey pokes his tongue out, before going back to his book, ignoring Jack's attempts to kiss him.

Feeling the attention off of him and his suffering, Race lets out a long sigh, making the two bickering soulmates stop.

'Boo-fucking-hoo, Race. At least you know they're local.' Jack says unsympathetically, and Race stares at him.

'The population of Brooklyn is 2.622 million, as recorded in 2014.' He states, as it was the first thing he googled once his tattoo appeared. Davey looks up, impressed, but Jack just shrugs.

'Guess you have a lot of options, then. Can you get us the snacks, Raceybaby? There's a twenty in the bowl next to the door.' Jack coos.

'Why do I have to do it?' Race scowls.

David raises his eyebrows. 'Because you're the only one of us with a car?' Race doesn't reply, just groans as he walks out the door, grabbing the twenty on the way.

'Hey, Race.' Crutchie smiles, his mom's car turning the corner. Race breaks out into a grin, shrugging an arm around Crutchie shoulder. 

'Wanna come buy snacks with me? I'm better company because all they do is make out, and I need your help because I can't remember what those long red ropes are called that you like.' 

Crutchie follows Race into his truck. 'Twizzlers, Race, they’re Twizzlers.'

'They threaten me.'

'I know.'

* * *

 

‘Pringles or Doritos?’ Race calls out across the small shop, to where Crutchie is standing at the drinks aisle.

‘Both. 2 bottles of pepsi or 4?’

‘4, Medda just left Jack alcohol and a few people don’t drink.’ Medda, Jack’s foster mom, made a deal that she’ll leave them alcohol as long as they pay for it, because it let’s her know how much they’re drinking and she’d rather they do it in her house than in the woods or something.

‘This isn’t your money, is it?’ Crutchie guesses. 

‘Nope!’ He shouts gleefully. ‘Jack gave me a 20 so I’d leave him and Davey alone.’ 

Spot Conlon watches them lazily, flicking through a newspaper from behind the counter. ‘You guys are lucky there’s no one else in the store.’ 

Spot Conlon. Now that’s a weird one. He’s in Race’s english class, and is basically the only person worth speaking to in that class, so they just dick around for the full class. There’s been some light flirting, but knowing that they both probably have a soul mate out there, it didn’t go beyond that. 

Race smiles cheerfully. ‘Yup! We’ll have all of this,’ He gestures to all the snacks that Crutchie and him placed on the counter. ‘A- Hold on.’ He runs to the back of the store, picking up 3 jars of Nutella, before darting back. ‘And these.’

Crutchie raises one of his eyebrow, and Race just shrugs. ‘I really like Nutella. It’s probably my favourite thing right now, my weekends just include me binge watching netflix and eating Nutella.’ 

‘Sad life. Spot, does this add up to less than twenty?’ Crutchie asks, but Spot’s staring at the wall, zoned out. ‘Spot?’

He blinks, and turns to them, a strange look on his name. ‘Um, sorry, I’ll ring up your stuff.’ 

Race and Crutchie share a confused look as Spot scans their items quickly and silently. They grab them with a quick thanks, and Race carries them to the car. ‘That was weird.’ Crutchie spoke up, as Race started the car.  

‘Spot Conlon’s weird, it’s a part of his personality. But by weird, I mean being a huge dick and still managing to become friends with Mush and Blink, but even for him, that was weird.’ Race says, and Crutchie nods.

‘Let’s just get these snacks back.’ He sighs, lifting up his phone to text Jack that they were almost back.

‘Who the fuck likes Twizzlers?’ Romeo exclaims in disgust, flinging the bag over to Crutchie, who glares at him.

‘Oh nice, Doritos!’ Albert smiles, opening the packet and shoving a few in his mouth. 

Jack takes his change from Race, and grabs one of the bag to see what he bought, Davey looking over his shoulder. ‘Who needs that much Nutella?’

Race rolls his eyes, grinning. ‘I do, just grab me a large spoon and I’ll be happy.’

‘Anthony Higgins, party animal.’ Specs mumbles. Mush and Blink are sat in a corner, their legs wrapped around the others, surrounded by pillows, but their heads snap to attention to the conversation.

‘While we are all here getting drunk and/or having a good time, Race is going to be in the kitchen making toast.’ Crutchie laughs, and Race sticks his tongue out. 

Blink stands up abruptly, going over to the bags. ‘Oh, you didn’t buy any Cheetos. Me and Mush will go back and buy some.’

‘You guys don’t need Cheetos that badly, do you?’ Jojo tilts his head. 

‘Oh no, we do. See you guys when we’re back.’

* * *

 

Spot is going to throw up.

He is going to throw up, and it’s Racetrack Higgins fault. 

He’s pacing behind the counter, as his co-worker reads a magazine lazily.

When his soulmate tattoo showed up last month, he was completely confused. A Nutella jar? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Who’s passionate about Nutella? Is his soulmate the creator of Nutella? (It’s not. he’s dead. Spot looked it up.)

In complete despair, he told Mush and Blink about it, and after only a little bit of laughing, they were sympathetic. 

‘It’ll be easier to find them now, it’s hardly a common one.’ Mush suggested, his poem book on the back of his hand on display. Blink nodded in agreement, the music notes on his shoulder only half-hidden by his sleeve. Both of those tattoos were bright and colourful, as were the looks the two soulmates shared. 

It made Spot sick.

So he’s pacing around the shop, trying to make himself not throw up, when Mush and Blink fling open the door, the tiny bell ringing quickly.

‘SPOT, HOLY FUCK!’ Mush shouts, as they sprint down the shop, narrowly avoiding a display of cans. ‘W- we think we found your soulmate.’ He pants. ‘It’s Racetrack.’

Spot nods weakly, holding onto the counter for support. ‘Yeah, I heard him talk about his love for Nutella when he was buying snacks. You know what his tattoo is?’

‘Brooklyn Bridge.’ Blink says, and the colour drains even more from Spot’s face. 

‘Yeah, that’ll mean me. Fuck, I don’t want this!’ He swears, as Mush and Blink have a silent conversation, before turning to face him.

‘You’re gonna come to Jack’s with us, and you’re gonna tell him.’ Blink says firmly, but Spot shakes his head furiously.

‘No way, I can’t. I don’t want a fucking soulmate, and he doesn’t need to know.’ Spot says stubbornly, but Mush raises his eyebrow, and they each grab an arm, hauling him to the door. 

‘Don’t forget the Cheetos,’ Mush says to his boyfriend, who grabs a packet as they walk past. Spot’s co-worker looks up, but goes back to their magazine. 

Spot tries struggling for a few seconds, but gives up, letting them pull him towards the car. ‘I’m not telling him.’

Blink just hums, as they shove Spot gently into the backseat. ‘Sure, Spot.’ Then Blink’s phone buzzed.

After Blink and Mush left, Crutchie began to think.

Race mentions love for Nutella at shop > Spot become weird.

Race mentions love for Nutella at Jack’s > Blink and Mush become weird.

Blink and Mush > friends of Spot’s.

Nutella > Race’s special interest???? > his soulmate tattoo??

Blink > Mush’s soulmate.

Spot > Race’s soulmate??!!

Smirking, Crutchie started to write a text to Blink.

**You:** _ u fuckers i know that spot is race’s soulmate _ **[7.23pm]**

**blinky:** _ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  _ **[7.24pm]**

**blinky:** _ me and mush bringing him to jack’s lol  _ **[7.24pm]**

**You:** _ jsjdjsjdhd ok _ **[7.25pm]**

* * *

 

Race is drinking his second can of beer when Mush and Blink arrive back, along with a scowling Spot Conlon. Crutchie’s face breaks out into a large smile, and he flings a can at Spot, while Mush and Blink eye him fiercely. 

‘Hey Spot!’ Jack raises his beer in greeting, and Spot copies him, giving a tight smile. The three took a seat next to Albert and Darcy, who are bickering loudly over something, and Race catches Spot’s eye, but he quickly looks away.

‘You know what we should do?’ Crutchie announces, smiling brightly around the room, his smile seeming more like a smirk. ‘Play truth or dare.’

A crowd of ‘ooooo’s went around the room, along with a few groans, Sarah’s especially loud. 

‘Ugh, what are we, 10?’ She complains, her arm around Katherine, her newspaper tattoo visibly on her left cheek. Katherine took a sip from her can as her head leans on Sarah’s shoulder, the crook of her neck having a yellow and blue puppy on it. 

‘Something to hide?’ Race grins at her, and Sarah sticks her tongue out at him just as Crutchie interrupts smoothly.

‘Do  _ you _ , Race?’

‘Um, no?’ He says, confused, but Crutchie only hums and goes back to playing with the end of his mint green sweater innocently.

Jack lifts his arms up, looking suspiciously at his best friend. ‘Alright, let’s just play. Al, go first.’

Albert smiles slyly at Darcy, who glares at him. ‘Darce, truth or dare.’

‘Truth.’ He answers instantly. 

‘Why do you hate happiness?’

‘I just don’t like pepsi, Albert! What is the big pro-’ Darcy’s voice gets louder, but Jack cuts off the bickering friends.

‘Al _ righty _ ! Blink, your turn!’ Blink raises his eyebrow,and drinks his can of sprite, before tilting his head to the side. ‘Crutchie, truth or dare?’

A few rounds after, Crutchie showed off his soulmate mark (two neat braids framing a blank face just below his kneecap on his good knee, black and white because he hasn’t met his soulmate yet.) Smalls drank baileys out of Jojo’s shoe, and Katherine revealed the time she first met Jack, that, despite being legendary, was the first time the group had ever heard of it.

Mush leans happily into Blink’s side, holding his hand closely, as he dramatically lifts his hand, and points it towards Spot, bumping his nose slightly because he’s sitting right next to Mush. 

‘Spot, truth or dare.’ 

‘Dare.’ He says instantly. The beer has loosen him and his nerves up slightly, but he still hasn’t made eye contact with Race, and he isn’t planning on it, sorry to disappoint Blink and Mush (and apparently Crutchie??).

Wait.  _ Mush. _

‘I dare  _ you _ , Conlon.’ He points his finger again, chuckling. ‘To show your soulmate mark.’

The room breaks into nervous giggles which Spot guesses is because, according to Blink, half of them are afraid of him. But Spot was too much about to have a panic attack to realise that in that moment.

‘I don’t have one yet.’ He lies, but David, one of the only people who don’t seem scared of him, coughs.

‘Um, I saw a glimpse of it a few days ago, in Algebra. Either take the dare or drink from the shoe.’

‘ _ Take the dare. _ ’ Smalls says bleakly, lying on the floor as Specs plays with her hair.

Spot glares around the room, his arms crossed. ‘No way, sorry.’

‘C’mon Spot, it’s just us, we won’t make a big de-’ Race tries to convince him, but Spot stands up abruptly, grabbing his coat and turns to face him.

‘Race, out of all the people in this fucking room, you really don’t want me to show my soulmate tattoo.’ Realizing what he said, Spot quickly makes his way towards the front door. ‘Thanks for the invite, I’ve gotta go.’ He mutters.

As the door shuts quickly behind him, the room is silent. Race speaks up first, after a few seconds. ‘What… what did he mean?’

Mush, Blink and Crutchie share a look, and Mush opens his mouth to explain, but Davey surprising interrupts him. ‘Go after Spot and he’ll tell you.’

Race nods quickly, jumping up from his seat and running to Jack’s front door and off into the dimly lit street.

‘How did you know?’ Blink asks, and Davey rolls his eyes, grabbing another can.

‘Please, I saw more than a glimpse in Algebra. The next day I saw Race eating a full jar in his free period and I pieced it together.’

* * *

 

Race doesn’t do gym. Or running. Especially in Vans. 

Luckily for him, Spot doesn’t either, or he thought he wouldn’t be followed, as it only took Race 10 seconds to catch up with him.

‘What the fuck are you doing?’ Spot demands, shaking off Race’s arm as he catches his breath.

‘ _ Running _ .’ He pants, disgusted. ‘What the fuck are  _ you  _ doing? Why don’t you want me to see yo- Oh.’

‘Yeah. Oh.’ Spot says bitterly, as they stand silently in the street, the only noise an occasional car.

‘You were raised in Brooklyn, moved to Manhattan and joined our school 6 months ago.’ Race states after a few minutes, but Spot doesn’t reply, he just keeps staring at the road. ‘Which is why…’

‘Which is why you have the Brooklyn Bridge.’ Spot cuts in.

‘Right. And you have…’ Spot again says nothing. ‘Look, Conlon, I’m trying to figure out if we’re actually soulmates, or if you’re just leadin’ me on.’ Race sounds deflated, and Spot just rolls his eyes.

‘Race, even if we are soulmates, which to be honest I doubt, it’s not like we’d get married and shit. I don’t like you, I don’t want to date you, I don’t even want to talk to you. W-’

Race’s lips were warm and a little chapped, as he swiftly kissed Spot. The kiss lasted 5 seconds, and it was the chastest Spot had ever had, but it still felt amazing. Race backs away slowly, and they stare at each other, breathing slowly. 

Race only starts to move to roll up his sleeve, and Spot finally sees his soulmate mark. It’s the Brooklyn Bridge from the left side, a little bit of background added so you can tell what bridge it is. It’s black and white, until a tiny splat of blue seeps in from a corner, filling the bottom to look like water. While Race’s tattoo fills with colour, Spot tentatively lifts up his own sleeve.

As soon as it’s exposed, Race starts to chuckle. ‘Oh my god, that’s  _ so _ me.’ Spot doesn’t speak as colour filled the Nutella jar, he only traces it with his finger, and doesn’t see Race watching him with a soft smile on his face. ‘Marriage still off the table, huh? I already had my something blue.’

Spot smiles, shoving Race slightly. ‘Shut up.’

‘I do…’ Race trails off. ‘I do want to at least date me.’ Spot’s face darkens.

‘You really don’t. Go date a lawyer or a cheerleader, someone who’s not me.’

‘Spot, I don’t know why you have such shitty self esteem, but I wanna date _ you _ . I don’t care where you end up in 10 years, only that I want to be there.’

Spot’s quiet yet again for 10 seconds, but his eyes are glistening when he finally talks again. ‘You’re such a sap, you know.’

‘Yeah, I do,  _ soulmate. _ ’ Race smirks, putting an arm around Spot as they walk back to Jack’s.

* * *

 

3 months after they start dating, Spot takes Race to the Brooklyn Bridge. ‘I think… I’m ready to tell you.’

‘I’m listening.’ Race smiles reassuringly, holding his boyfriend’s hand, who takes a deep breathe.

‘10 months ago, me and my mom were driving, and our car got hit. Crashed into the edge, but we stayed on the bridge. She died just before the paramedics got to us.’ He explains rawly, looking towards the bridge. Race squeezes his boyfriend’s hand tighter.

‘I heard about that… when it was on the news. Didn’t hear the names, but… god Sean, I’m so sorry.’ He kisses Spot on the cheek, and he feels him release some tension.

‘Thank you… for everything, Anthony.’

Race just smiles. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

**Author's Note:**

> ive been working on this for over a month aaaaa im so glad i've finished
> 
> now to work on my hogwarts au lol
> 
> not been beta'd, my beta writer @racetrackout on tumblr (follow reilly xx) was asleep when i finished and i really wanted to post it asap so i didn't wait for her
> 
> kudos and comments are loved dearly!
> 
> tumblr: racetrackhuggins


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